Former St. Olaf Standout, Infielder Sam Maus, Returns For Third Season With Saints

ST. PAUL, MNApril 25, 2016

St. Paul Saints players will begin their first official workout on Saturday, May 7. Manager George Tsamis is still trying to fill a few spots on the roster before that happens. He looked to a familiar face adding infield depth as Sam Maus agreed to terms and will return to the team in 2016.

The 24-year-old Maus spent nearly two months on the inactive list with an injured wrist last season and hit .209 with one home run and eight RBI in 31 games. In 110 at bats he scored 18 runs, had two doubles, a .279 on base percentage and a .255 slugging percentage. Primarily playing second base he committed just two errors in 136 total chances for a .985 fielding percentage. He collected his first professional home run on August 30 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City. It was the Saints 100th home run of the season, the first time the franchise had ever reached that mark.

Despite some struggles last season Maus was a huge spark to the Saints when he signed on June 11, 2014. Despite having his season cut short by an injured wrist on August 16, Maus hit .323 with nine RBI in 39 games. In 133 at bats he scored 18 runs, had seven doubles, a .444 on base percentage and a .376 slugging percentage. He reached base safely in a team season high 30 straight games from June 25-August 2. The streak came to an end when he left the August 2 game with the injured wrist in the third inning. He walked more times (28) than he struck out (27) and had a solid .973 fielding percentage at second base. It took him just a week to play the role of hero when he collected his first professional hit, a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning of game two of a double header on June 18.

“Sam can be a good player for us,” said Saints Manager George Tsamis. “He has just been unlucky with the injury. He is fully healthy now and we think he can help us.”

Maus had an outstanding senior season with the Oles in 2014 hitting .399 with six homers and 32 RBI while playing in all 40 games. In 143 at bats he scored 47 runs, had 15 doubles, two triples and 11 stolen bases in 13 attempts. He had an on base percentage of .491 and a slugging percentage of .657. Maus led the team in average, hits (57), home runs and runs. He began the season on a 13-game hitting streak and hit safely in 31 of 40 games. His offensive production consisted of 16 multi-hit games, which included four, three-hit games and three, four-hit games. Maus was one of two Oles to be named All-MIAC and was also selected to the 10-player All-Defensive Team with a .954 fielding percentage, primarily playing the left side of the infield. His impressive season got him named to the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings NCAA Division III All-Midwest Region Team and All-MIAC.

In his four seasons at St. Olaf, Maus started all 153 games the Oles played during that time and he hit over .300 in three of the four years.

Maus went to Northfield High School and was a three-time letter winner in basketball and football and a four-time letter winner in baseball. He was All-Region his senior year, All-Conference his junior and senior season and All-Conference Honorable mention in his sophomore season in baseball. In football he was All-Conference during his junior season.

The Saints have signed 13 players this off-season, eight position players and five pitchers.

The 2016 season begins on Thursday, May 19 at CHS Field with a 7:05 p.m. game against the Gary SouthShore Railcats.